What Goes Up, Must Come Down
by WeirdCrazyCool
Summary: Charlotte, a daughter of a member of the "old crowd", discovers the secrets her mother has been keeping from her... about 4 years too late. She's accepted to Hogwarts during hard times, meeting friends and foes along the way.
1. The Discovery

Chapter 1 -"The Discovery"  
  
The Smith's of number 57 Dale Street, Long Beach, NY, were having a hard time getting by. Consisting of a single mother and 15 year old daughter, they resided in a tiny little cottage in Long Beach, a suburb on New York City.  
  
Aileen Smith, the mother, was a thin, English born woman with striking blue eyes and long light blonde hair that would be beautiful if it wasn't so matted, and she would be beautiful, too, if she didn't look so tired all the time. The reason for her exhaustion lit deep in the heart of the neighborhood bank. Money wise, the Smith's were struggling. Mrs. Smith worked 2 full time jobs and a part time job on the weekends just to get by.  
  
Charlotte, the daughter, resembled her mother very much so; the only difference was that she had a pair of vibrant violet eyes. But she, too, looked listless. She worked 2 part time jobs on top of attending her sophomore year of high school. On the weekdays, she worked from 3 to 8 flipping burgers at the local Burger Mania, and on the weekends from 9 to 6 at the rec center scrubbing toilets and emptying garbage cans.  
  
All and all, it wasn't a picture perfect life for them. They had moved times since Mr. Smith's death of cancer 6 months before. They were finally getting used to calling this place home, when Charlotte received a letter, a letter that changed her life forever.  
  
"Mom! Mom? I'm home!" called Charisma, opening the front door of their modest little cottage. She stepped inside and dropped her book bag on the ground. She studied her surroundings, looking for a sign of her mother's presence. She didn't see one. Glancing at her wristwatch, she saw it was 8:30 at night. She was exhausted from a long day of school and then work at the Burger Mania. She really felt like going straight to bed, but had tons of homework to do. She picked up her bag.  
  
She headed from the living room that led into I tiny hallway to the kitchen. In the corner was a circular table the size of a coffee table with 3 wooden chairs around it. She pulled one out and sat down. She sighed happily. It felt good to sit down. 5 hours straight of working the grill made her legs feel as if they were still moving.  
  
Her stomach gave a familiar grunt. She hadn't eaten much that day, and suddenly realized how hungry she was. She got up, somewhat reluctantly and crossed the room, and stood in front of an ancient looking refrigerator. She opened the door and groaning, viewing the contents inside.  
  
There was a carton of milk and a single package of, what looked to be, moldy bread. "Oh well," she thought out loud. "Its not the first time I've gone hungry," she grumbled, looked deeply thwarted. She grabbed her bag once again and set out across the living room to a door that said DO NOT ENTER, and displayed various band stickers.  
  
Flicking of the light, she set down her things and flopped on her unmade bed. She was so tired; she tried to stop herself, but failed, and drifted off into a dreamless sleep.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
She awoke hours later. It was still dark. Someone had removed her glasses and tucked her in. The illuminated alarm clock on her night table told her it was 4:30 in the morning.  
  
"I might as well get up now," she thought. "I have to go to school in a few hours anyway." She got up and got dressed in blue jeans and a yellow tee shirt.  
  
She was about to open her book bag to finish her homework, when a strange tapping noise from behind startled her. She whipped around and.  
  
"AAAHHH!" she screamed at the top of her lungs. There was a huge bird tapping on the window with its beak. She flew out of the room, across the living room to her mother's bedroom door. She knocked on the door furiously. A disgruntled looking woman in plaid flannel pajamas answered the door.  
  
"What in bloody hell is the matter with you?" she asked, looking furious and startled at the same time. "There's a bird.Its trying to get in my room. It's the size of an elephant, or something." She said, talking fast and nervously. Mrs. Smith's face screwed up into a weird worried look with a mix of realization on her face.  
  
"Where is it?" she demanded, in an angry, and yet worried tone. Charlotte looked at her mother curiously and then led her to the room. When Mrs. Smith looked upon the bird, which Charlotte now realized was on owl, she looked as if her worst fear was confirmed. She ran to the window and unlocked it. Charlotte let out a frightened squeal and lunged toward her, knocking her out of the way.  
  
"Are you crazy?" she shrieked. "That. that.THING could KILL us!" Then she did something that brought an absolute feeling of bewilderment to Charlotte's face. She smiled and stared to laugh. Charlotte looked at her mother as if she had some contagious disease.  
  
"That's it Mom, you've finally snapped!" Charlotte stammered, backing away. "All these months of working long hours have finally caught up to you!"  
  
Mrs. Smith stopped laughing and smiled. "Look dear, I have something to tell you," she said, now grinning. She walked toward the window.  
  
"Its OK, I know," she said recognizing Charlotte's apprehensive look. Finally, she slid the window up and the brown owl flew in the window and on to Charlotte's desk. Charlotte was looking terrified as she nervously twittled her fingers. She realized that the bird was carrying something that looked to be like an envelope.  
  
Mrs. Smith took it from the bird's beak and patted its head thankfully. It hooted with delight. She opened the envelope and pulled out an old looking piece of parchment and sighed.  
  
She scanned it carefully and quickly. When she was finished, her breath quickened as she closed her eyes for a moment.  
  
Charlotte, who was watching curiously, suddenly felt concerned. "What's wrong? What.what does it say?" She didn't answer; instead she reached into the envelope and pulled out a second piece of parchment. She looked at it for a second as if she wanted to confirm what she already knew, and then held it out for Charlotte.  
  
"It's for you."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Charlotte was completely and utterly confused. She hadn't the slightest idea of what was going on. She looked at the letter and shook her head. Mrs. Smith still held it out.  
  
"But, but, I don't understand." Mrs. Smith looked quite bothered. "Just read it," she said handing her the letter. "I know this all seems strange, not, but you will understand, soon. I promise."  
  
Charlotte's hand shook as she grasped the letter. She unfolded it, revealing a relatively short letter written in bright emerald green writing. She read aloud:  
  
Dear Miss Smith, I am pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As you may know already, Hogwarts is open to students from 11 to 18 years of age and transfers from other Magical school are also accepted. Your case is special. You do not have the previous knowledge that most students attending Hogwarts have at your age. There are ways that you can be caught up with your fellow pupils. So don't worry, and be at King's Cross Station in London on September 1st. The train (found on Platform 9 ¾) leaves at promptly 11 am. Your list of school supplies needed is enclosed, as is your train ticket. I'll see you at Hogwarts! Sincerely, Headmaster Albus Dumbledore  
  
Charlotte had not a wisp of an idea how to react to this. What kind of cruel joke was this? How many people were needed to pull this off? She was angry. "Why did you do this?" she asked through gritted teeth.  
  
Mrs. Smith looked appalled. "Do what? Charlotte this is NOT a joke," she said firmly. Charlotte scoffed. "Oh, you expect me to believe this garbage?" she spat, flailing the letter in the air. "Warthog's School of Witchcraft and.Wizardry?!" she asked with a hint of laughter in her voice. "What, so I'm a WIZARD, now?" she said, chuckling.  
  
Mrs. Smith suddenly looked stern. She took the letter Charlotte and placed it on the table. "No, my dear," she started sitting in the revolving chair by her desk. "You are a witch." 


	2. A Hidden World Revealed

Chapter 2 - "A Hidden World - Revealed"  
  
Charlotte rolled her eyes in response to her mother claims. "Witch, wizard same difference," she said, still obviously not believing it.  
  
"Actually, there is quite a big difference. Unless you have some male anatomy you're not telling me about," Mrs. Smith taunted jokingly.  
  
Charlotte raised her eyebrows. She sighed. "Ok, Mom, the joke's up," she said standing up. Her gaze shifted towards the owl. "I DO want to know to know how you got that bird here, though," she suggested playfully pointing at it.  
  
"Charlotte," said her mother sternly. "You need to take this seriously. You," she pointed at her. "As well as I, and as well as your grandparents and great grandparents were all magical beings."  
  
"Ok," Charlotte said mockingly. "IF, and I mean if, I WERE a . . . witch, then why didn't you tell me when I was 11, or before that, even?" she asked.  
  
Mrs. Smith sighed. "You see, you father, he didn't LIKE magic. He," she paused. "He didn't want HIS child to be. . .involved in it."  
  
"So he wasn't. . .magical?" Charlotte inquired.  
  
Mrs. Smith looked at Charlotte anxiously. She sighed again. "Yes he was a muggle," she said.  
  
"A what?" asked Charlotte quickly.  
  
Mrs. Smith groaned with impatience. "A muggle, it's a person who posses no magical blood," retorted Mrs. Smith. "Anyway, your father was a muggle, and as soon as we started to date, I told him about a world, a world hidden from the normal human's view," she said.  
  
"Naturally, he was intrigued, but, as soon as he discovered the dark side of the craft, he wanted me to put an end to it. He wanted me to give it up," she said, shaking her head.  
  
"He didn't know that it wasn't that easy. I mean, you can't just give up something that you're born to be," she declared.  
  
Charlotte was listening to her mother intently. "So, if you're born a witch or wizard, why do you have to go to school you learn. . .it?" she implored.  
  
"We perform spells, incantations, charms, etc. with wands. These take time, patience, and concentration to learn. They can only be taught to you by educated witches and wizards," said Mrs. Smith, trying not leave anything out.  
  
"Do YOU have a wand?" she asked curiously.  
  
Charlotte watched as Mrs. Smith's eyes lit up.  
  
"You want to see it?"  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
A minute later, they were standing in front of a closet door, in Mrs. Smith's bedroom.  
  
"It's in here?" Charlotte asked. "Could you be anymore original?" she said sarcastically.  
  
Mrs. Smith rolled her eyes and opened the door. In front of them was a row of neatly packed closed hanging on iron hangers. She pulled them open, revealing something that made Charlotte's eyes widen in surprise. It was another door.  
  
"I didn't tell you we had an attic. Well, we actually didn't when we first moved here. I conjured it to store my magical appliances and supplies," she confessed opening the door, which had a staircase leading into darkness.  
  
Mrs. Smith started up the stairs. "It took me so long, you see, conjuring this much space is a long and hard process. I had to sign all type of paper and get all the materials needed to build a second floor."  
  
"Wait, so you can't make things appear out of thin air," Charlotte asked.  
  
Mrs. Smith turned around and stared. "Heavens, no. Conjuring something just means your moving it from one place to another. Like apparation, with inanimate objects, really. It might sound easy now, but it requires an immense amount of concentration. You don't learn how to conjure 'til 7th year," she finished, finally reaching the top of the stairs and flipping on a light switch.  
  
Charlotte's fixed look of anticipation died when she saw the illuminated room. She wasn't expecting much, but everything looked so normal.  
  
The whole room was painted a sick sort of yellow and was big enough for a tall man to stand comfortably in. A red and gold carpet with woven lions led the way through the attic.  
  
Mrs. Smith walked fast down the isle and led Charlotte to an old stained dresser that stood against the wall.  
  
"I thought you said you threw that out," said Charlotte, eyeing the old dresser.  
  
Mrs. Smith turned to look at her daughter. "Darling, witches and wizards spend their whole lives keeping secrets, it's what we do," she responded, pulling open one of the drawers.  
  
She pulled out what looked to be a long, thin jewelry box. She sighed heavily.  
  
"I always knew this day would come. Even IF your father was so against it. You can't deny it for long," she said caressing the box. She pulled open the cover and there lie a long wooden stick-looking object.  
  
She took it out gently, as if it were a newborn baby, and held it out in front of her. It looked like she was looking at a long lost love, whose loved would not fail by the time they spent apart.  
  
Charlotte thought this was all quite strange. "So," she interrupted from her mother's thoughts. "What exactly do you do with it?" she asked crossing her arms.  
  
"This maybe better done than said." She held out the wand again and very clearly said, "Lumos." And, from the tip of the wand came a tiny beam of light.  
  
Charlotte was unimpressed. "Couldn't a flashlight do that just as easily?" she thought.  
  
Mrs. Smith apparently saw the disappointment on her face, because, almost immediately she asked if she wanted to see more.  
  
Charlotte nodded profusely. Mrs. Smith pointed her wand at the lamp that was sitting on the sitting on the dresser. She me made a movement with her arm and said, "Wingardium Leviosa," and with a flash, the lamp was floating about 3 feet above the dresser.  
  
Charlotte was taken aback. You could bewitch objects to make them fly? She wondered what else you could do with this new found discovery of herself the rest of the night, even in her dreams when she went to sleep after 2 hours of nagging her mother to show her more. She finally realized this is what was missing in her life. And, from now on, her days didn't feel never-ending; she wasn't up at night wondering, "what if. . ." She felt the void that had been plaguing her, her entire life, had finally been filled. 


	3. A New Light

Author's Note: Sorry these 3 chapters have been so short, especially the one you're about to read. I promise the next one will be a lot longer, though it may take me a while to get up.  
Chapter 3 - A New Light  
  
But her euphoria didn't last long. The next few days brought hours of endless packing, phone calls, and reading.  
  
Charlotte loved to read, but she couldn't possibly see how she was going to catch up on five years of work in only 3 months.  
  
Her mother wasn't having it any easier. She had to resign from her jobs and take Charlotte out of school. This would be difficult because she only had 2 weeks left, but didn't want to continue. She wanted to direct all her energy on her studies and learning more about the magical community.  
  
Charlotte was trying to think up excuses for her sudden departure from 10th grade.  
  
"Say I'm terminally ill," she said sitting on the chair in her living room, Fantastic Beast And Where to Find Them lie open on her lap.  
  
"They'll want to see the doctor's records," said Mrs. Smith who was sitting on the chair beside her, reading some important some important documents.  
  
"Well, I don't know what we're gonna do," she started casting her gaze down. "We could just leave now," she suggested.  
"But, Charlotte, we haven't brought a house yet, and I haven't even sold this one," she replied, looking up at her daughter.  
  
"When do you have to meet Dumbledore?" Charlotte asked.  
  
Mrs. Smith suddenly looked forlorn. "I'm not sure," she said, looking down. "He'll be sending another owl soon, I expect."  
  
Exactly what her mother was meeting Dumbledore in London for remained a mystery for Charlotte. Ever since she had received the letter Charlotte and Mrs. Smith had an unspoken agreement not to bring the subject up.  
  
Mrs. Smith suddenly stood up as if she had reached some sort of decision. "You'll finish school, all right? I mean, Dumbledore said not to worry about the material, and he's a very smart wizard, he'll figure something out," she stated firmly.  
  
Charlotte didn't like the plan. "But Mom, what if he makes me take classes with the first years? I REALLY don't want to be hanging around 11 year olds all year long," she pleaded.  
  
Mrs. Smith looked at her sadly. She pushed a strand of Charlotte's straight blonde hair behind her ear. "He'll think of something," she cooed. "Trust me, he always does."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
The next 2 months flew by fairly quickly for Charlotte. School was over ("Thankfully," Charlotte thought), and 2 weeks before Mrs. Smith had received a letter from Dumbledore telling her to meet him in London on August 29th. That would mean that they would have to be in London in 2 weeks.  
  
Things were getting hectic around the house. Mrs. Smith had been showing the house for nearly a month and still no one had shown any interest in it.  
  
Then, there was also the problem of how they were going to get to England. Mrs. Smith had explained to her daughter that her profession in magic paid her far better off than her muggle jobs had ever, and that she had quite a hefty sum saved up in Gringotts bank. Mrs. Smith decided to send her key to Dumbledore to have their money exchanged into Muggle money in order purchase plane tickets for the 2 of them. They were now set to fly in a week before Mrs. Smith had to meet Dumbledore.  
  
The day before the move, Charlotte was feeling nervous. Mrs. Smith was doing too many things and looked to be on the brink of tears. The moving van had come 2 days before and there was no where to sit in the house except the reclining chair in the living room the couple who was moving in had brought from them.  
  
The 2 of them hadn't even seen a picture of their new house yet. Dumbledore had found them a supposedly nice place in Godric's Hollow, which was about a 20 minute ride on a broomstick from London.  
  
Charlotte was very interested in the piece of information and started to nag Mrs. Smith with questions, but stopped when she threw her a look of contempt.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Charlotte got up the next morning at 5 am with mixed feelings. She felt excited, but filled with dismay at the same time. She had her doubts about moving to England. What if she didn't fit in at Hogwarts? What if the other kids made fun of her lack of wizarding knowledge?  
  
Mrs. Smith looked like a wreck today, more than ever. Her face was pale with a tint of green and her hands shook as she read the newspaper. "The weather's going to be nice today," she said as calmly as she could. "Hopefully, we won't have too much turbulence; I don't need any more stress."  
  
They gathered their bags and the taxi cab taking them to the airport arrived 15 minutes later. Charlotte got in the cab and looked at the cottage one last time. To her, that cottage symbolized her old life, a life of pain and void. She turned around when the cottage was reduced to nothing more then a spec in the distance and looked at the long road ahead of her, thinking in a new light. 


End file.
